“Diamond Tiara, you have several voice messages from Silver Spoon. Might I suggest you listen to them; she is very concerned about you… I also have breakfast waiting for you,” said an old grey balding stallion as he placed a silver tray on a table next to the fireplace. With grace and ease, he removed the lid to reveal a glass of apple cider and a daisy and orange jellied toast on a plate.
Diamond grumbled and pushed over the covers to see who woke her up. “Ugh, Alfred, why are you waking me up so early? I had a late night…”
“I am well aware of how late you were up and took the liberty of not waking you until now.” Alfred drew back the curtains. The bright sun lit up the room and made Diamond Tiara flinch. “So you would have enough sleep to be able to take on today, but let’s not worry about that now. Please have some breakfast while I fetch your nurse.” He turned to walk out the door when Diamond Tiara sat up and spoke.
“Wait, Alfred! …I wanted to say thank you … You are one of the few ponies that stood by me while I was going through terrible times... I know I was such a horrible filly back then… I-” Diamond Tiara sniffed and quickly wiped a tear from her eye. Before she could continue, Alfred turned around and interrupted her.
“No need for thanks nor to feel bad about what happened in the past. That was over twenty years ago and look at what you did since then. You became head of Rich's Barnyard Bargains at a young age, and yet you still made the company prosper by keeping a strong head on your shoulders. You even went a step beyond by donating part of the money to charities and orphanages. You really are an inspiration to us all and your parents would be proud of you. Never forget that,” Alfred stated. “Will that be all, Miss?”
Diamond Tiara smiled warmly and said, “That will be all, Alfred.” Alfred silently closed the door behind him as Diamond gingerly gets out of bed and limbs to the table.
Gez, last night was rough! I probably will be this sore for a while. Oh well, at least there is nothing that Nurse Coldheart won’t be able to fix,Diamond thought. She slowly sat down and began to eat her toast. The mix of the lukewarm jelly with hot toast warmed her from the inside out. I can’t believe I didn’t like jelly on toast. Mom used to make it all the time for me and Dad… No matter how many times Dad told her that one of the maids could have it made, she insisted that she would make it. She was stubborn but loving… Diamond thought.
She took a sip of the cold apple cider. It is funny how this drink reminds me a lot of Dad. He can be cold when he needs to do business but charmingly sweet and warm, especially to me and Mom… Along with the toast and cider would be most of what our breakfast consist of while we ate at the table. Oh how the good old days seem like a distant dream; but it warms my heart to think of the good times…until I think of what happened that night...
Diamond shook the memory away and glanced at the lit up room. She looked briefly at the glamorous décor and couldn’t help but thinking how empty the room was, let alone the mansion lately. The only time she did not feel so lonely was when Alfred or Silver Spoon are by her side. “Oh! I almost forgot about Silver Spoon’s voice messages!” exclaimed Diamond Tiara. She quickly gulped down the rest of her food and headed for the door. Before she got to the door, the nurse came in and blocked her way out.
“Oh no, you don’t! I know how you are Diamond Tiara, and you are not setting a hoof out of that door until you get yourself checked out by me!” scolded an older yellow mare with a curly mane of two shades of blue that was pulled back with a hair net.
Diamond Tiara was a little intimidated by the nurse, so she sat back down. Diamond grudgingly replied, “Yes, Miss Coldheart.”
Nurse Coldheart smiled and stated, “That’s Nurse Coldheart to you, young lady! Don’t you forget it.”
Diamond laughed. “I won’t.”
Nurse Coldheart smiled proudly and then sighed, “Now what did you do to yourself this time? Fall down the stairs or pick a fight with some hydras?” Coldheart removed Diamond’s robe to see fresh bruises and deep cuts. Coldheart was actually shocked how there were not as many as usual. “Well I can say this much; it’s not as bad as most nights. But I do worry about you, and you still refuse to tell me what in Equestria you are doing at night.”
Diamond grinned uneasily. “It’s nothing I can’t handle. I would rather you not know or I would suffer your wrath!”
“Oh I would give you some of my wrath! But you need me to heal you instead of smacking you upside the head. I mean, how many times I have tried to get you to tell me!? UGH it infuriates me! Never would have thought I would meet somepony even more stubborn than me, and it doesn’t help that I have to uphold the ‘patient’s right of privacy’. Anyway, as long as you promise you will come back in one piece then you do not need to tell me… Even though I wish you would. I mean your mother would do anything to make you tell her what you are doing. She would also do her best to help you. As she did with her patients, Nurse Sweetheart was one of the best nurses and one of my closest friends.”
“I know, Mom loved being a nurse even though Dad would tell her she didn’t have to work because we were so rich….I miss them …I was such a spoiled brat and I never really said I love them unless it was to get something I want…” She looked down with a straight face, trying to make herself feel hollow instead of full of self-hate.
Nurse Coldheart started sewing up the cuts and said “They knew that you loved them and you were just acting like how kids act at that age… you can’t blame yourself for that. And look at you now! You have grown to a beautiful mare inside and out, with your mom’s kindness and your dad’s charm. Why they would smile down on you if they saw who you had become.” Coldheart finished the stitches and started checking hoof by hoof to see if she had any sprains or strains. “You should take it easy for a couple of days or you will reopen your wounds. Be sure to slowly stretch your back and legs before doing anything strenuous. Other than that you check out. Just please be careful and talk to me when you are ready…” Coldheart smiled sadly and walked out of the room.
Diamond Tiara sighed. Coldheart, I wish I could. But I can’t tell you my secret or you would never let me leave the mansion. I just don’t think she would understand anyway and it would make her worry more…It’s for the best if she is kept in the dark for now.
Diamond Tiara slowly got up, stretched for a few seconds, and then walked out of the door to a big arched hallway. As she walked down to the foyer, Diamond saw all of the framed painted portraits of past family members. The closer she got to the foyer, the closer she got to the more current members of her family. Just before she reached the answering machine, she looked up to the last portrait in her family.
She saw herself as a young filly pouting because she had to sit there for the painting instead of hanging out with Silver Spoon. The couple behind her each put a hoof on young Diamond Tiara’s shoulders. The one to the right was a light brown colt wearing a collar and bright red tie with his charcoal hair slicked back and a charming smile. The one on the left was a purple mare with a light purple and white mane in a low bun, giving a warm smile to the young filly while wrapping her other hoof around the colt.
I guess it’s one of those days, when you feel like you are stuck in the past…Oh Dad and Mom how I miss you… I wish that it wasn’t you who died that day… Diamond Tiara started to cry. “WHY… why wasn’t it me!? Why did you do it! Mom…Dad… I swear… I will-”
Then a sudden flashing red light caught her attention. Diamond Tiara looked down and saw the answering machine blinking the number ‘3’, signifying that she had three voice messages.
Diamond took a deep breath, Calm down, Dia. You must be strong, if not for your sake then for Silver Spoon’s. Taking a moment to clear her thoughts, she pressed the ‘play’ button and listened calmly to Silver Spoon’s voice.
“Hey Tiara! I was thinking we should have a mares’ night out on the town, like hitting the dance clubs! I am so ready to bump bump sugar lump rump~! And before that, we can go shopping for the perfect outfit; I heard that saddles are in this season! Give me shout out when you get this message. Love ya, BFF!”
Diamond Tiara could not help but crack a smile and chuckle, Silver, you are such a social pony that it’s a wonder why you still hang out with me. All I do is take care of business during the day…and at night…
Silver Spoon’s voice interrupted her train of thought. “Hey, Tiara. Did you get my message? Are you not wanting to? Come on, a mare’s prime time does not last forever and you shouldn’t spend it always working and never having any fun! I mean, don’t you remember when we used to hang out together? We used to prance around like we were princesses, throw parties that rivaled Pinkie Pie’s, and we’d shop till we drop…? We used to have fun until your paren- uh never mind. Point is they wouldn’t want you sulking around; not that I am saying you are sulking… UGH! That’s not what I meant to say… Just call me please?”
Diamond was shocked from what she had heard, I-I am not sulking around, I mean sort of… Is that really what she thinks of me and what I do? I suppose I can’t blame her… I mean, no one knows the truth except Alfred… It’s true I have been all about business and no fun. But in a way, I get my fun one way or another. She chuckled bitterly.
Silver Spoon’s voice was shaky, “Hey, I am sorry I mentioned your parents like that… I was totally in the wrong… I could only imagine what it was like. Not saying that I have been there, done that, because I haven’t. But you know that I am still here for you, BFF… I just want you to be happy. And I know that something like that you can’t just cope with it like that. I just want you to be able to relieve stress and know life is more than that… I am just putting it out there; don’t EVER take your own life! You know how devastated I would be? If you ever feel like that call me and if you don’t feel like that still call me! I want to know that I am like the biggest worry wart ever or know that I am there for you… Sorry, didn’t mean for this to be like emotional stuff, you know? Anyway call me back please.”
Diamond Tiara started to cry, “Oh Silver, I did not mean for you to feel like this… You shouldn’t have to protect me like that…”
All of a sudden, Diamond Tiara’s memories flooding back to her. She falls back, hits her head, and then her vision fades. She could hear voices of her father’s dying breath, her mother shouting, “Don’t you dare hurt my daughter!”, and her own blood curdling screams from that night.
